Pittsburgh Skyline Embroidered Purse

Description

This is another project that made my 52 Weeks of Sewing because I had a project in mind. This was my first effort at freehand embroidery based on a photograph that I took of one of the most famous views of Pittsburgh. I decided I wanted to turn it into a purse some time ago, and even accidentally bought the pattern (McCalls 6045) twice at two different 99 cent pattern forays.

I sketched the view from the photograph, and then actually chalked it using embroidery tracing paper onto the fabric. I’ve since learned there are better ways to transfer an image then chalking (my technique is largely derived from my mother’s 1970’s dress making education, pre-inkjet printer), but too late now :-)

The construction of this purse took me an embarrassingly long time and broke one sewing machine needle (trying to sew through nine layers of fabric). All in all, if I had bothered to read ahead and realized how cumbersome the handle attachment would have been, I would have done it differently, but by the time I realized what they wanted me to do, it was too late. The photo doesn’t quite do it justice, I’ll try and get some better photos in natural light if the sun ever comes out here in Pittsburgh :-)

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